Ben Simmons knew he’d be the #1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft as the Phladelphia 76ers had informed his camp prior to Thursday that he was their choice all along.

When the draft began and his name was called, the crowd roared as many Sixers fans attended the draft. Even though he knew what was coming, being prepared for it didn’t shake the jitters from all of the excitement that comes along with it.

So how does it feel to be the #1 pick in the NBA when they call your name?

“It feels amazing, honestly,” Simmons said. “I can't even – my legs were shaking when I was on stage.”

Averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists at LSU, Simmons has been one of the schools best players in their basketball program's history.

Sixers' president of basketball operations Bryan Coleangelo was estatic about the choice they made.

“We feel like we've dramatically improved our basketball team, and the outlook for the future. Ben's going to improve everything across the board, including the bottom line. He's a star figure in his own right at this age,” said Coleangelo.

“If he does the things that are required from a basketball standpoint to continue to improve, the sky's the limit for him. Basketball, business, everything is being affected in a positive way.”

The Sixers finally have a reason to be excited about the future as they now have a star player in the making to build around. No more tanking and the time has come to build a winning culture with Simmons ready to take on the task.

“I always want to be the best player. They selected me at one, so it means a lot. They believed in what I can bring to franchise.”

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